This invention relates to apparatus for introducing sealing and balancing fluid into pneumatic tires and more particularly to devices for doing so while the tire remains pressurized and even mounted beside another tire on a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,766 issued Jan. 5, 1982 to Myers reviews the problems inherent in introducing fluid sealant into a tire through the valve stem and the advantages of being able to do this without first deflating the tire. It discloses a device for unscrewing and removing the valve core, injecting the fluid, and replacing the valve core while the tire remains inflated.
One of the most important applications for such a device is on heavy duty trucks. The tires are mounted in a parallel pair on a dual tire rim. The valve stems are both mounted so that they extend toward one another on a common side. Access to the stems is through small openings in the wheel.
Myers teaches a structure with a laterally extending fluid inlet tube adjacent the stem connector that could not pass through the small openings to access the stems. It would be most useful to have a tool which can be used to inject sealing and/or balancing fluid into tires while they remain inflated and mounted on a dual tire rim wheel.
In Applicant's parent application Ser. No. 09/39478 filed Mar. 16, 1998 apparatus and method for injecting sealing and blancing fluid into already pressurized tires are described, in which separate elements must be serially attached and removed to perform the various steps required in the process. Improvements herein disclosed incorporate the various elements into a manifold, to reduce the number of parts and greatly simplify the process so that it may be employed by users with less training and skill.